Thousands of years ago, a wise man lived in Greece. His name was Hippocrates, and he was widely
considered a knowledgeable man of medicine. One day, as he sat under a large shade tree to teach and write, a
man approached him, seeking medical advice for a member of his family. The man described the symptoms
that his family member experienced: fever, aches, and pain. Hippocrates gave the man some medicine: a
powder made from the bark and leaves of a willow tree.
Living in the 21st century, this medicine might sound strange to us. Bark and leaves? What possible
good could those do anyone? In many ways, it’s true that medicine has changed a great deal since the time of
Hippocrates. But in other ways, it hasn’t changed at all. After all, the medicine that Hippocrates prescribed for
his patient is something with which you are likely familiar: aspirin.
